Associated with the premium vehicles capable of exploring extraordinary terrain thanks to cutting-edge technical capability, Land Rover Eyewear presents a collection of optical and sun frames with a refined spirit of adventure. mivision spoke to Eyespace about Land Rover’s journey to create eyewear to accompany men every day, everywhere.
Q. What is Land Rover Eyewear’s story of origin?
Q. What is Land Rover Eyewear’s story of origin?The brand is part of the global Jaguar Land Rover car company.
Land Rovers are the second oldest four-wheel drive vehicles in automotive history after Jeeps – they’ve been built since 1948, when head designer Maurice Wilks designed the Series 1.
Since 2008 Land Rover, along with the other famous British brand – Jaguar – has been owned by Tata Motors and, since 2013, together they’ve been known as Jaguar Land Rover Limited.
But getting back to Land Rover Eyewear; the first collection was commissioned in 2017, and like the four-wheel drives, has seen rapid global acclaim.
From contemporary stainless-steel frames to retro inspired round eye models, we’ve created a comprehensive, dispenser-friendly offering to the eyewear market. The British team behind the Land Rover Eyewear collections has extensive, award-winning experience from all areas of the eyewear industry, which has undoubtedly contributed to the versatility and success of this collection. Like those who design the vehicles, our eyewear team is highly focused on using the very latest material innovations, including sustainable and premium recycled components, alongside trend-led colour palettes and brand-faithful, bespoke componentry.
Q. Why does someone choose Land Rover over other brands?
Land Rover is a brand with universal appeal, which gives it an unprecedented advantage in terms of consumer awareness and likeability. The designs themselves are as clean and refined as the vehicles, appealing to men across a broad age-spectrum. Younger patients particularly like the skull-fit designs, which are comfortable and exude a sporty aesthetic. The introduction of bio-based materials within the collection also strongly appeals to discerning customers in search of a more ecologically friendly frame option.
The collection is of exceptional quality; this is obvious from the moment you pick up a frame. Flattering proportions and lightness of weight are its hallmarks, with a carefully considered portfolio of eye shapes and frame sizing presented in wearable masculine colourways, ensuring there is an option suitable for every dispense or wearer-preference.
Q. From design to production, how are Land Rover frames made?
The manufacturer of Land Rover Eyewear is Eyespace – an award-winning design studio based in England, around 30 minutes from Land Rover’s British headquarters. This close proximity means world-class design teams from both organisations can work extremely closely and cohesively on frame design and brand evolution. Rather than simply lifting obvious details from the vehicle designs, they have spent years working together to infuse the brand’s ‘design DNA’ into the frame collection, transferring the lines, planes and colour palettes to ultimate effect, and creating signature design details that help quickly identify a Land Rover frame. While the starting place for each design’s intricate detailing needs to be inspired by the vehicles, the driving force behind each season’s releases are the leading men’s fashion trends and forthcoming developments within eyewear styling. To safeguard optimal fit, every frame is designed from the bridge out, harmonising with trend-led eye shapes, which are always going to be key as patients want to feel they have their finger on the fashion pulse.
The Eyespace design and development team responsible for this work, bring previous experience from a multitude of fashion and accessories brands, which undoubtedly contributes to the commercial success of the collection. What sets them apart from most other optical design studios though, is that the team is led by a qualified optician, ensuring every product put to market receives professional 360-degree review and testing in respect of both dispensing needs and patient preferences.
Q. What characterises an iconic Land Rover style?
The collection has a ‘wear every day, wear everywhere’ feel, and is intuitively designed to offer a refined spirit of adventure. Each frame incorporates references to the vehicle’s iconic architecture and styling, alongside a mix of premium materials and textural finishes – including premium sustainable bio-acetates and recycled metals – that elevate the collection in every sense, while adding appealing tactile qualities.
In line with men’s historical buying behaviours, and lending the collection a refined masculine aesthetic, branding is super-refined, using micro detailing to elevate the designer finesse. Our colour palettes are informed by inspirational landscapes and selected to harmonise perfectly across the entire brand portfolio.
Only the highest-quality components are selected for the collection, including German and Italian-made elements, which set the frames apart in their construction and quality.
Greatly reducing the collection’s consumption of single-use plastics and its overall carbon footprint, all sustainable Land Rover Eyewear models feature biodegradable demo lenses and frame bags. In line with our sustainability mission, the materials used for the cases are also transitioning to recycled plastic (r-PET).
Q. How has Land Rover’s quality been recognised?
In its debut year, the collection received a shortlisting for Frame of the Year in the UK Optician Awards, which are fiercely competitive, so this was an incredible achievement. We were absolutely thrilled to be informed that Eyespace also won the UK’s first optical sustainability award last year, referencing the environmentally friendly innovations used within the Land Rover Eyewear collection, which include premium bio-acetates, G850 Rnew and recycled stainless steel.
The vehicles have won over 200 awards globally, so the eyewear collections have a little catching up to do!
Q. What does the future hold?
We are seeing a strong resurgence in rectangular and square eyeshapes, and for those looking for a little more design flair, geometric shaping is going to reign supreme in the coming seasons. Most male wearers favour understatement in their frame colour, so palettes will remain subtly masculine, but profiles will evolve to become more obvious.
Environmental innovation will be a key priority for the brand moving forward, with precision-focus being placed on uniting luxury and sustainability for the modern frame wearer. There will be demonstrable and transformational levels of elevated design finesse and innovation found in increased usage of sustainable materials and componentry; producing a product offering that protects the planet while upholding the brand’s forward-thinking principles and practices. Environmental impact is not confined exclusively to the products either, so there will be sustained efforts made along the entire supply chain. This will encourage all of our suppliers to uphold the same high standards of sustainability that are already present in the Land Rover Eyewear offering.
Distributed by Aaron’s Eyewear (AUS) 07 3367 8447.
